Scandinavian Operas

[britishcomposer]

There are several scandinavian operas I would like to hear. Perhaps you know if any of these have been broadcast? I know of no commercial recording.

Franz Berwald's operas. (A selection from Estrella de Soria is available but not the complete work.)

Chr. Fr. E. Horneman's "Aladdin". It must be a great thing.

Ahti Sonninen's "Pessi and Illusia". (Well, that's a ballet...)

Other suggestions? What unsung nordic opera would you like to hear?

[britishcomposer]

I forgot to mention Ture Rangström's "Medeltida" and "Gilgamesj". Even if they were only half as good as "Kronbruden" I would love to hear them!

[eschiss1]

The selection from Estrella di Soria- are you referring to Musica Sveciae MSCD 523 (71 minute CD, so yes, probably not an entire opera unless it's a brief one) from 1993? 

[britishcomposer]

Yes - a fine recording but not the complete work...
I have a few scenes from "Drottningen av Golkonda" with Elisabeth Söderström. The radio host mentioned that this was actually the premiere from 1968.

[alberto]

I would like to hear "Singoalla" by Gunnar de Frumerie. I missed buying a recording conducted by Yuri Ahronovich ( a conductor I have seen several times, often conducting rarities).
I was intrigued by the plot.

[britishcomposer]

I would have mentioned "Singoalla" too, alberto! It's still one of my unfulfilled dreams. It was listed in my first - now completely rotten - jpc-catalogue from 1993 when I was still at school and had no money. Now I work in a sheltered workshop - and have no money...
But it's still available via amazon.

[mbhaub]

I've enjoyed Melartin's opera "Aino" quite a bit. If you know the symphonies, having Aino in the collection is a  must. It's on BIS and easy to get, too.

[britishcomposer]

Yes, Aino is wonderful! I think it's the opera Sibelius should have written. He was always looking for a less than operatic sujet.

[edurban]

Heise's Drot Og Marsk is one of the best unsung operas from anywhere that I've heard.  It's been around for years in the Chandos recording and is really required listening, imo.

I should mention that Heise's concert overture Drot Og Marsk, is an earlier and substantially different piece.  The beginning was later used as the intro to the opera.  It is one of my favorite all-time unsung works and I find myself humming the tunes frequently.  It's currently available on Sterling's collection Romantic Danish Overtures in a terrific performance by Johan Hye-Knudsen and the Royal Danish Orchestra.  (The actual recordings were made in the late 1960's and some of us first encountered them on the Turnabout label.)

David

[britishcomposer]

I don't know the overture but I agree about Heise's opera - that's why I think that Horneman should be added to the catalogue. (Why not Chandos?)
He and Heise are definitely the most ambitious precursors to Carl Nielsen. The Overture to Gurre always knocks me down.